Editorial: Post endorses Dahle, Logue for assembly

One of the results of the 2010 redistricting was the drawing of the Assembly lines separating Paradise and Magalia. So now the two communities will be represented by two different assemblymen until the 2022 election.

In June we endorsed Lassen County Supervisor Brian Dahle for Assembly District 1 and Dan Logue in Assembly District 3.

Not much has changed – except for the brief time that Logue was running for both the Senate and Assembly seats. A health scare took him out of the running for the Senate.

Assembly District 1

In addition to the new redistricting plan, the new Top Two format has resulted in a race between two Republicans – Dahle, the Lassen County Supervisor, and Redding City Councilman Rick Bosetti. Democrat Plumas County Supervisor Robert Meacher was the odd man out.

Both remaining candidates understand the plight of local government and would be good strong advocates for it. But as in June, we like Dahle's approach to government, he seems to have integrity and, while he has firm views, we believe he has the ability to reach across to the other side.

He also seems to be his own man. It's true that both men echo all of the usual conservative views on government, taxes and spending. But Dahle was also part of a Lassen County Board of Supervisors that planned for the unfunded liability disaster that's looming over many municipalities.

Lassen put money away into a "lock box" fund that will pay for those obligations when they come due, and as a result, Lassen County isn't in debt. Bosetti has the ability to get things done and has a constant eye on reforming public employees' pensions as he did in Redding.

Even with that success, we still think Dahle is a better fit for the region he'll be representing. However, in June we noted that none of the candidates were politicians. But now the forces that fund the politicians are getting involved. Some unions have donated some money to the Dahle campaign and Robert Munger gave $150,000 to Bosetti – though the two have never met. We will be very interested in seeing how those donations affect the winner.

Assembly District 3

In June we endorsed Logue because of his commitment to growing jobs and protecting taxpayers from an overreaching state government.

His opposition and concerns about AB32 were driven home to Butte County when news broke that Builders Supply was closing – and AB32 played a role. And last week Logue met with Paradise antique dealers about their concerns about the new law that could harm their business. Logue's opponent, Democrat Charlie Rouse, argues that he's a moderate Democrat who can better represent the district, but he's never held office and has no record to show that he's capable of that. Electing a Democrat would inch the Assembly closer to overcoming the two-thirds majority and result in tax increases.

In this economy, with the current spending habits of the legislature, we can't see how that is a good thing.

It's Logue's steadfast commitment to try to help create a more business-friendly environment in California and his leadership and experience that makes him the right man for the job.